Singapore
Singapore is a city-state that packs a staggering amount into one of the world's smallest countries and one of its most impressive. Marina Bay Sands' rooftop infinity pool against the skyline, Gardens by the Bay's Supertree Grove lit up at night, Michelin-recognised hawker food, the world's best airport (Changi, with an indoor waterfall), and a multicultural food scene that rivals any city on earth. This former British trading post transformed itself from developing country to global financial hub in a single generation. Four official languages — English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil — reflect the cultural mix of Chinese, Malay and Indian communities that makes Singaporean food, architecture and daily life so layered; English is the language of business, education and everyday life, and Singlish, the colloquial local blend of English with Malay, Mandarin and Tamil expressions, is easy enough to pick up within a few days. Singapore is famously strict: chewing gum is banned, littering and jaywalking carry substantial fines, and drug trafficking can carry the death penalty. But it's also famously safe (walk anywhere at any hour), clean (spotlessly), and efficient (the MRT subway runs like clockwork). Most Western nationalities can enter visa-free; check current requirements and the Singapore Arrival Card before travelling.
Singapore Visa & Entry System
Singapore offers visa-free entry for citizens of over 150 countries. Most Western nationalities — including the US, UK, EU, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand — receive 90 days; China, India and Russia receive 30 days, and Myanmar receives 14 days. Around 30 nationalities require an advance visa through a Singapore embassy or consulate. Every visitor, regardless of nationality, must complete the Singapore Arrival Card (SG Arrival Card) online in advance of arrival — it replaced the old paper disembarkation card and carries no fee. There is no visa fee for nationalities eligible for visa-free entry; an entry stamp is issued on arrival. Passport validity and onward-travel requirements apply — check current thresholds before departure, and be ready to show a return or onward ticket, as this is strictly enforced. Extensions are difficult and discretionary, granted through the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) only for compelling reasons such as medical emergencies or compassionate grounds.
Visa types
Visa-Free Entry (150+ countries)
For tourism and business. Western nationalities including the US, UK, EU, Australia, Canada and Japan typically receive 90 days; China, India and Russia receive 30 days. No advance application and no fee. The Singapore Arrival Card (electronic, free) is required before arrival, passport validity requirements apply, and a return ticket is mandatory. Extensions are rare.
Advance Visa (approx. 30 nationalities)
For nationalities requiring advance application through a Singapore embassy or consulate. Requirements typically include passport validity, a completed application form, photos, a return ticket, hotel booking, proof of financial means and a visa fee — check current requirements and processing times before applying.
Guides
Singapore delivers world-class experiences in a city small enough to cross in well under an hour by car. Marina Bay is the centrepiece: the three-towered Marina Bay Sands with its rooftop SkyPark, the Merlion statue, and the ArtScience Museum. Adjacent Gardens by the Bay blends nature and technology across a vast waterfront park: the Supertree Grove's towering artificial trees stage a free nightly sound-and-light show, the Cloud Forest conservatory holds an indoor mountain with a waterfall, and the Flower Dome rotates seasonal plant displays under one of the world's largest glass greenhouses. The ethnic neighbourhoods give Singapore its cultural depth: Chinatown's temples and shophouses, Little India's markets and garland shops, Kampong Glam's Sultan Mosque and Arab Street. Sentosa Island is the resort playground — Universal Studios Singapore, beaches, a cable car and the S.E.A. Aquarium — while the Singapore Zoo and its famous Night Safari, nocturnal wildlife viewing by tram, are among Asia's best. And then there's the food, Singapore's true religion: hawker centres, open-air food courts with dozens of stalls, serve some of the world's best affordable food, from Hainanese chicken rice (the national dish) to char kway teow, laksa, satay and chilli crab. Maxwell Food Centre's Tian Tian chicken rice carries a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and Singapore also has multiple Michelin-starred restaurants at the other end of the scale. Changi Airport's Jewel — a glass dome with the world's tallest indoor waterfall, a canopy park and shopping — is a destination in itself.
Singapore travel guide →
The full guide — the hawker system, the MRT logic and the single-node trip.
Money in Singapore →
SGD, cards and hawker cash — the practical money guide.
Eating in Singapore →
The hawker system as institution — Michelin stalls, the dish canon and how ordering actually works.
Getting around Singapore →
MRT-first logic, the EZ-Link layer and why a car never enters the plan.
Cities & planning
Plan your trip
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Embassies & missions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Singapore?
Most Western nationalities — including the US, UK, EU, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand — get visa-free entry for 90 days. China, India and Russia get 30 days, and Myanmar gets 14 days. About 30 nationalities need an advance visa through a Singapore embassy or consulate. Check your specific nationality before travelling, as the allowed stay varies significantly.
What is the Singapore Arrival Card and do I need it?
Yes — every visitor, regardless of nationality, must submit the SG Arrival Card online before arrival. It's free and replaced the old paper disembarkation card. Have it ready, or the confirmation, when you land, as immigration officers may ask to see it.
Is Singapore really that strict about chewing gum and littering?
Yes. Chewing gum is banned for sale, littering and jaywalking both carry fines, and eating or drinking on MRT trains is also fined. Vandalism can be punished with caning, and drug trafficking carries a mandatory death penalty. These laws are enforced, not just symbolic — respect them.
What and where should I eat in Singapore?
Head to a hawker centre and order Hainanese chicken rice (the national dish), chilli crab, laksa, char kway teow and satay — even Michelin-recognised stalls like Maxwell Food Centre's Tian Tian stay affordable, though queues can run long at lunch. The food guide carries hawker-centre etiquette and which famous names are genuinely worth the wait.
When is the best time to visit Singapore?
Singapore's tropical climate is hot and humid year-round with no true dry season, so there's no bad time to go — but November-January brings the heaviest and most frequent rain as the monsoon season. Any time of year, expect short, intense afternoon downpours rather than all-day rain, and carry an umbrella regardless of when you travel.
How do I get around Singapore?
The MRT subway is clean, efficient and covers the island comprehensively — tap in with a contactless bank card via SimplyGo, or get an EZ-Link card, to use MRT, buses and most taxis, with fares charged by distance. Singapore is compact enough that Marina Bay, Chinatown and Sentosa can realistically be covered in a single well-planned day.
Is tipping expected in Singapore?
No — tipping is not expected anywhere in Singapore. Restaurant bills already include a service charge plus GST, so there's nothing extra to add. Don't tip at hawker centres, in taxis or Grab rides, or at hotels — it isn't the local custom and isn't necessary for good service.
Planning a trip to Singapore? Check what you need to enter and apply online in minutes.
Treat this Visaja page as your starting point: verify the current rules directly with the official source before you submit an application.